(Saturday, October 1)
“Zhoghovurd” criticizes Prime Minister Karen Karapetian’s remark that Armenia will not become a normal “country” until large-scale tax evasion there is eliminated, saying that it was disrespectful towards Armenians. The paper says that Karapetian has yet to “earn the right to denigrate our country.”
“Obviously, the public will be bored of shows organized by the new government very soon, and just a few months later everyone will realize that the new [government] figures only engage in empty talk and that in reality things only get worse,” writes “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun.” “But is it worth spending several months waiting for something that is already evident? After all, Armenia will lose another several hundred million dollars and tens of thousands of more people will emigrate in the course of those several months.”
“Aravot” dismisses as “fairy tales” repeated pledges by the government and political parties to reactivate Armenia’s two largest chemical plants and other Soviet-era enterprises. “They spread this lie all the time, especially in the run up to elections,” writes the paper. It says that Armenians must at last be frankly told that those industries cannot be revived.
“Hayots Ashkhar” comments on Sunday’s local elections in Gyumri and Vanadzor, noting strong interest in them shown by Armenia’s leading political parties. The paper says that their involvement in the Gyumri and Vanadzor races is part of their unfolding preparations for the next parliamentary elections slated for April 2017.
“Zhamanak” reacts to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s claim that Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are not ready for a compromise solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Kerry’s statement comes ahead of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ visit to the region which will take place in the near future,” says the paper. It notes that in their most recent statement released late last month the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs expressed readiness to organize another meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents. “Kerry’s statement suggests, however, that such a meeting is unlikely or that even if it takes place one should not expect a breakthrough from it,” it says.
(Artur Papian)